Squatters

Up until about 2 years ago, we had a pair of Swifts who nested in the roof just above our patio doors. They came every year, and one year brought another pair with them which I think were probably their previous year's offspring.

Unfortunately we had to have work done on the eaves 2 or 3 years ago, and new soffits were fitted. We have put up 2 swift boxes, one concrete and the other wood, to try to make up for the disturbance (the "royal we" of course). The first year following this, the swifts came to inspect the roof as usual, but didn't nest.

There has been evidence that birds have been using the boxes during the winter months for roosting, and this year, we have squatters in both - Great tits in the wooden box, and house sparrows in the concrete one (we have lots of other boxes on the house and in the garden, but the sparrows are not interested in them this year).

We do have Blue tits, Dunnocks, Blackbirds and Robin and Wood Pigeons nesting at the moment and the feeders are being visited by a very young Wood Pigeon with Mum and Dad and a Jackdaw family. These visitors are in addition to the usual assorted Finches which do not seem to nest in the garden but visit the feeders all year round.